Leading Schizophrenia Treatment Center for Children & Teens in Arkansas

Learn more about schizophrenia treatment at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric condition that is characterized by unusual perceptions, thoughts, and behaviors. It is a severe, chronic, and disabling illness that can cause extreme turmoil and distress in an adolescent’s or teen’s life. However, with thorough treatment and the implementation of appropriate psychotropic medications, the symptoms of schizophrenia can be properly managed and those suffering from it can lead happy and productive lives.

At Millcreek Behavioral Health, located in Arkansas, we understand the many challenges that living a life with a child who has schizophrenia can present, which is why we offer specialized programming designed to help address those challenges. We have years of experience working with adolescents or teens with schizophrenia. Spread out across 37 acres of beautiful, natural landscape, our two residential treatment centers in Arkansas, which include our newest facility that opened in February of 2014, provide patients with the comfortable atmosphere that they would not receive in a traditional high-rise locked hospital. At Millcreek’s treatment center, we can provide your child with the therapeutic interventions that they need to overcome their challenges in the safest and most comfortable environment possible.

Helping a loved one get treatment for schizophrenia

As a parent it can be difficult to identify any clear warning signs that your child could possibly be developing schizophrenia. In children especially, the symptoms may build up gradually and may not be very specific. Additionally, some parents may think that some of the behaviors their adolescent or teen is displaying is just a phase that will eventually end. However, as time goes on, the early warning signs of schizophrenia will often develop into symptoms and become more severe and noticeable. If several of the following warning signs are present in your child, it is important that you take them to get evaluated by a physician or mental health professional. These include:

• Irritability
• Depression
• Lack of energy or motivation
• Trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
• Spending a lot more time alone than usual
• Confused, strange, or bizarre thinking
• Trouble keeping up in school
• Suspicions that people are talking about them
• Appearing internally distracted

If you find that your child is indeed struggling with schizophrenia, learning about the disorder can help you understand what they are going through. It can be very challenging to live with a child who has schizophrenia. Here are some suggestions that can help you support your child:

• Pay attention to triggers
• Make sure they take their medication as prescribed
• Understand that they may not understand that they are ill
• Make sure they stay active and eat healthy

Why consider treatment for schizophrenia at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

Over time, if schizophrenia is not properly treated at a treatment facility, it can have a massively negative impact on the person’s life and the lives of those around him or her. This mental health disorder will cause an adolescent or teen to withdraw from family and friends as they tend to have difficulty completing daily tasks like taking care of personal hygiene. Those with schizophrenia are more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol in order to help control some of their symptoms. Additionally, those with schizophrenia are at a much higher risk for suicide. While there is no cure for schizophrenia, the success rate of those who get proper anti-psychotic medication and therapy can be high.

Residential schizophrenia treatment centers have proven to be successful in helping adolescents or teens overcome the challenges that they face as a result of schizophrenia. When they are provided with the opportunity to take part in a schizophrenia treatment facility’s residential program, they are offered the chance to step away from the stresses and challenges of their everyday lives. This distance allows them to get their symptoms under control so that they are able to live happier lives. Additionally, a residential treatment program offered at our schizophrenia treatment facility will allow adolescents or teens to work with others with the same kinds of problems that they have. This results in the development of better social skills and confidence. Our schizophrenia treatment facility can help make dramatically positive changes in your child’s life.

Millcreek Behavioral Health philosophy and treatment benefits

At our schizophrenia treatment center located in Arkansas, we are devoted to helping children learn to make better choices in all aspects of their lives; changes that will continue to positively affect them as they grow. We strive to meet all of our clients where they are at, tailoring schizophrenia treatment plans to meet all of their unique needs. Our schizophrenia treatment facilities approach treatment utilizing an integrated, multi-component program model that is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has proven to be effective in treating a wide variety of populations and diagnoses. CBT is an evidence-based model that works to target thinking errors by correcting maladaptive thoughts and replacing them with new coping skills and problem-solving techniques. The members of our highly trained and qualified schizophrenia treatment team work with adolescents or teens to facilitate change and to help them learn to take responsibility for the changes they need to make.

Types of schizophrenia treatment offered at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

When adolescents or teens come to Millcreek for treatment, they will first complete a thorough diagnostic assessment and a psychiatric evaluation, which allows us to gain a full understanding of all of your child’s presenting concerns and to identify specific schizophrenia treatment needs. The findings of these assessments will be used by an interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a master treatment plan, which will then be reviewed by our treatment facility’s’s psychiatrist. This master treatment plan will specify treatment goals and objectives for each individual client, including specific intervention components that will aid in meeting the child’s individual needs.

The program model at our facility in Arkansas is divided into four distinct phases, which include:

• Why am I here?
• Making the connection
• Learning new skills
• Application

Residents are required to complete all aspects of each phase in order to advance to the next. Some of the treatment methods that will be used, and some of the activities that residents will participate in, as they advance through the treatment facility’s program may include the following:

Medication: The cornerstone for schizophrenia treatment is anti psychotic medications, which are often effective at managing hallucinations, delusions, loss of motivation, and lack of emotion. Those placed on medication will be consistently monitored by their schizophrenia facility’s treatment teams in order to ensure the therapeutic effectiveness of the medications, as well as to make any changes that might be necessary.

Group therapy: Our schizophrenia treatment center offers group therapy that is held multiple times throughout the week. The groups that the children participate in will be determined based on their individualized schizophrenia treatment plans, but some of the topics that are covered in these group sessions may include: activities of daily living (ADLs), coping skills, social skills, self-soothing, and behavior management.

Recreational therapy: All of the adolescents or teens in our schizophrenia treatment programs will participate in recreational therapy, which includes participating in activities such as creative arts, sports, social outings, park outings, adventure programs, and leisure. These activities are designed to aid in the development of appropriate social skills.

Education: Every child and adolescent that we treat at Millcreek will attend our fully accredited school program, which is held Monday through Friday. Each child will be given a distinct, individualized education plan based on their specific academic needs.

Depending on the treatment track in which your child is enrolled they may also participate in some, or all, of the following at our schizophrenia treatment center:

• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Individual therapy
• Family therapy
• Student council

Continuing care and levels of treatment for schizophrenia

Once your child has completed our residential schizophrenia treatment program located in Arkansas, our facility’s case manager will meet with you and your child in order to help identify what the next best plan of action should be. These case managers can help schedule any necessary follow-up appointments with outpatient providers and can provide you and your child with specific resources that are available for support within your community. For those patients who qualify, there is the option of entering into a waiver program where individuals can return home and still receive any additional assistance with daily living skills that may be needed.